Byzantine Choral Project Presents Musical Audio Drama ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE

The Byzantine Choral Project (BCP) is a dynamic collaboration between playwright Helen Banner and composer Grace Oberhofer to make theater for women and nonbinary voices. Inspired by the Byzantine Empresses Irene, Maria and Euphrosyne, they are creating work that showcases the radical power of strong, diverse performers singing together and explores the importance of imagery, representation and iconoclasm in classical and contemporary life.

Based on historical records, ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE is the fascinating story of a child bride from provincial Athens who ascends to the heart of Byzantine power. Harboring a treasonous secret that marks her as the enemy of her husband and son, the young Empress Irene must choose her side in the iconoclastic wars. With a haunting score inspired by Byzantine Chant, and featuring the voices of ten women and non-binary performers, ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE is a sweeping story of ambition, sacrifice, and the struggle to make something new out of a shattered world.

For more info and to listen to the teaser, an excerpt of episode 1 & the song "Look on Me," visit https://byzantinechoralproject.com/podcast

ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE is comprised of 12 episodes, 5 - 25 minutes each in length, with a total run time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The first two episodes will be released on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, then released weekly on Wednesdays at 5am ET over nine weeks, with the final episode on November 17.

Listen to ICONS/IDOLS: IRENE for free on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and YouTube. For more streaming options visit https://byzantinechoralproject.com/podcast or search for Icons/Idols: Irene by The Byzantine Choral Project on your preferred podcast app.

For the past five years, Byzantine Choral Project has been developing ICONS/IDOLS, a tetralogy of choral plays uncovering the secret history of these purple empresses as they ascend in a society with deep animosity towards female rule. In response to the theater shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, BCP adapted and recorded play one of the tetralogy, IRENE, as a serial audio drama. Excerpts of this recording were presented as an immersive sound installation, IN THE PURPLE ROOM, which premiered at New Ohio Theatre in New York City in May 2021.

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